Since the introduction of plows to agriculture the need to remove rocks from crop fields has been a pressing concern. Rocks contacting plows can break the plow blades or become jammed in the moving equipment causing gears and connectors to become misaligned or damaged. Rocks can also interfere with some types of harvesting equipment and other agricultural machinery.
Problems caused by rock damage to agricultural equipment go beyond the damaged equipment. Agriculture is a time-sensitive occupation where delays in planting or harvesting while equipment is repaired can cause the loss of part, or all, of a crop. Moreover, with more and more pressure to absorb farmland into urban developments there is greater imperative to put marginal agricultural land to use, such as locations with high rock content in the soil.
Existing rock picker apparatus are not able to optimize their operation to varying soil/terrain conditions. They are unable to automatically adjust their collection systems to accommodate rocks of varying sizes. Existing systems cannot easily be optimized by adjusting speed ratios and relative positioning of components. Adjustment is difficult in this regard, generally requiring machine shutdown while a mechanic (or mechanics) make physical adjustments through levers or by replacing gearboxes and belts. Operators cannot quickly stop individual components or raise them to clear obstacles thereby creating potentially unsafe conditions. Operators cannot reverse the direction of operation for components in the event of jams or for maintenance, leaving them very vulnerable to jamming by large rocks or non-rock obstacles, or due to very uneven ground. Additionally, existing systems have low storage volume for rocks removed from the field and they do not provide for easy offloading of rock. Existing apparatus generally require towing the rock picker and separator apparatus behind a tractor, which reduces their maneuverability and prevents the forward facing operator from monitoring equipment during operation. Existing apparatus have focused on particular pieces of technology or gadgets but have not solved the problem of integrating an efficient machine which can be operated by a single person from within an operating cab. Apparatus such as described by Fahrenholz, below, require complex customized mechanical linkages and gearing systems which are difficult to maintain, very exposed to damage and weather, and not amenable to optimization. Existing apparatus do not provide a feedwheel mechanism to provide positive capture for efficient transfer of material into a collector mechanism. All of these shortcomings severely impact efficiency and increase the amount of skilled labor required to clear fields—and thus increase costs.
Thus, there is a need for a self-propelled rock picker system that:
1) is capable of extracting, storing and dumping a large volume of rock from a field with a high rate of efficiency; 2) can recover quickly and safely from jammed components by operating components selectively in reverse; 3) provides easily adjustable component speeds, speed ratios and heights for optimizing according to field conditions and worn components; 4) enhances safety by providing for an emergency shutdown function for moving components without requiring engine shutdown; 5) is forward mounted so an operator can easily monitor equipment during operation; 6) is forward mounted for improved maneuverability; 7) allows operation of all components from the cab of a tractor or other prime mover; 8) includes a large capacity articulated trailer controllable from an operator's cab for dumping accumulated rocks; 9) includes a feedwheel for efficient collection of rock material; 10) can be retrofitted onto the frames of existing combine tractors; 11) is capable of clearing three acres of cleared land per hour; 12) can be folded by a single operator for transport or stowage; 13) does not require complex customized mechanical linkages and gear systems; 14) permits components to be changed to different size or style, which may require different speed ratios, without need to design new linkages, gearboxes, or belt systems; 15) facilitates use of remote operation of components; 16) facilitates use of effective safety control interlocks.
A number of devices have provided rock pickers, but lack the flexibility, safety, reliability and capacity of the present invention. Presently known art attempts to address this problem, but has not completely solved the problem. The following represents a list of known related art:
Reference:Issued to:Date of Issue:U.S. Pat. No. 7,028,460 B1FahrenholzApr. 18, 2006U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,655FahrenholzAug. 24, 1982U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,477FahrenholzJan. 1, 1974U.S. Pat. No. 3,117,631FahrenholzJan. 14, 1964U.S. Pat. No. 2,725,700FahrenholzDec. 6, 1955U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,034 B2ClaryMar. 9, 2004U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,866SmithMar. 28, 2000U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,008DauvinMay 10, 1994U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,906Jeannotte et alJul. 2, 1991U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,050Jacobs et alSep. 2, 1986U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,049MigdalSep. 2, 1986U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,641DegelmanMar. 16, 1982U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,869DuboisNov. 24, 1981U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,818Malinowski et alOct. 27, 1981U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,932AndersonAug. 11, 1981U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,265PrattSep. 9, 1980U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,114MorlockMay 8, 1979U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,158RangerNov. 22, 1977U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,489HulicskoAug. 9, 1977U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,855BlissJun. 19, 1973U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,979GregersonMar. 11, 1969U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,408SimonarJul. 19, 1966U.S. Pat. No. 2,924,284Cykler et alFeb. 9, 1960U.S. Pat. No. 2,686,394Kalaus et alAug. 17, 1954U.S. Pat. No. 2,363,682Madsen et alNov. 28, 1944U.S. Pat. No. 1,563,340ChristensonDec. 1, 1925U.S. Pat. No. 1,478,142OrtmannDec. 18, 1923U.S. Pat. No. 946,115EdensJan. 11, 1910U.S. Pat. No. 946,273RichardsJan. 11, 1910U.S. Pat. No. 624,852NugentMay 9, 1899U.S. Pat. No. 047,566QuimbyMay 2, 1865U.S. Pat. No. 019,430MaydoleFeb. 23, 1858
The teachings of each of the above-listed citations (which does not itself incorporate essential material by reference) are herein incorporated by reference. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
Fahrenholz in several patents teaches rock picker systems: U.S. Pat. No. 7,028,460 B1 (the Fahrenholz '460 patent); U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,655 (the Fahrenholz '655 patent); U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,477 (the Fahrenholz '477 patent); U.S. Pat. No. 3,117,631 (the Fahrenholz '631 patent); U.S. Pat. No. 2,725,700 (the Fahrenholz '700 patent).
The Fahrenholz patents (collectively referred to here as “Fahrenholz”) teach towed rock picker systems utilizing windrows, drum separators, and complicated conveyor systems. Fahrenholz does not teach individually controlled components, but rather mechanically linked components using complicated systems of drive shafts, sprockets, chains and mechanically clutched belts, with all parts operating at fixed speed ratios. Fahrenholz does not teach the use of independent drive motors which are infinitely adjustable and reversible, and individually operable from the cab of a prime mover. Fahrenholz teaches conveyors using manual cable-actuated clutches, which require the operator to operate levers requiring significant strength and skill. Towed systems such as Fahrenholz reduce maneuverability and visibility. Fahrenholz does not teach a dynamically mounted feed wheel to handle rocks of varying sizes. Fahrenholz does not teach mounting a rock picking system forwardly for improved visibility and maneuverability. Fahrenholz does not teach the use of a foldable system which can be folded by a single operator for transport or stowage.
Fahrenholz '631 teaches a towed, single windrow apparatus for forming a windrow of rocks for a separate rock picker to collect. The apparatus utilizes a transverse-mounted frame supporting a roller powered by mechanical linkages from a tractor motor using a power-take-off (PTO).
Fahrenholz '655 teaches the use of a rock tumbler for separating rocks from soil, and windrows, but towed behind a tractor on a separate frame so that an operator cannot monitor the equipment while driving the tractor. Fahrenholz '655 teaches the use of mechanical belts and linkages for power transmission, with fixed gear ratios, preventing adjustment of component speeds, heights or depth of ground penetration. There is no provision for reversing components in the event of jams. The arrangement of the overlaid conveyor belts is complicated and difficult to maintain. The intermediate storage conveyor in Fahrenholz '655 does not have high capacity and can only be off-loaded while running certain other equipment, such as the rock tumbler, due to the mechanical linkages. Fahrenholz requires a second tractor to tow a collection trailer in parallel with the rock picker in order to provide adequate intermediate storage. This adds a second operator and can be difficult in uneven terrain. It can even lead to serious accidents if the tractors collide or the second tractor/trailer gets tangled with the conveyor system.
Thus, while the foregoing body of art indicates it to be well known to have a rock picker, the art described above does not teach or suggest a rock picker system which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) the system can be retrofitted to the frame of a standard combine tractor or other prime mover with the addition of a hydraulic power supply; (2) the hydraulic power supply can run off the prime mover engine or an independent APU for flexibility; (3) the system folds for transport on a flatbed truck; (4) speeds of all components are infinitely adjustable in order to optimize operation for different rock/soil conditions or worn components; (5) rotating components are reversible to enable recovery from jams; (6) hydraulic drives and cylinders are easily stopped in emergency, greatly improving safety; (7) front mounting providing an operator better visibility and safety; (8) front mounting providing improved maneuverability; (9) a large capacity articulated rock box providing rapid unloading into any bulk container, or directly into fill, by a single operator; (10) independently driven components allowing rapid change out of damaged/worn parts; (11) independently driven components permitting a single operator to control all operations from a position inside the cab of a prime mover; (12) ease of adjustability, maneuverability, and high capacity enabling a single operator to clear up to three acres per hour or more; (13) the ability to upgrade individual components; and (14) incorporates a feed wheel to increase efficiency of rock collection.
Still other features would be desirable. For example, existing systems do not facilitate closed loop automation and computerized control. Existing apparatus do not provide for replacement or upgrading of modular components. Existing apparatus do not provide a feed wheel to assist in the collection of larger rocks and breaking down aggregate chunks. Existing apparatus do not address the needs in the field with an integrated systems approach to address problems of optimization, upgradeability, maintenance, reliability, and safety.